Bits and Pieces from Christmas 2012

For this section, I'm just going to add a lot of pictures just to help you see how special Christmas at Mount Vernon.

By the front door.

As you can see in the picture above,  a mirror with window clings on it is the center focal point for the Entry Way.  The rest is garland with a couple of plastic balls hung on the ends, a ribbon woven into the top garland and an elf tucked into the bottom piece. The plastic balls look like the real thing but if the door gets pushed back too far, they will not shatter.

The mice in the middle have been around a long time; and the little candles on top are quite old

Old fashioned looking lamp.

The entire wall setting with the lamp

The old fashioned looking lamp was a really fun addition this year.  The lamp could be used any time of the year with different greenery, but I think it will have to best charm at Christmas.  It kind of makes you think of the Dickens era. The little glass shelves to the right of the picture have snowflakes standing on edge with red plastic balls in front.  The the accents are little Christmasy picks placed on either side of the balls.  Finally, hanging from each of the shelves is a silver metal holly leaf.  They were pretty when I found them, but they needed something to make them pop, so I added more of the similar type of Christmas pick as I used with the balls and attached it on top of them.

Moon mirror

Close of up the Moon Shelf

This Moon mirror had been around for a number of years, except that it was a different color.  I spray painted it a white/off white and sprinkled just a little bit of white/iridescent glitter on it while the paint was still wet.  To the shelf below I added the acrylic stag and the crystal tree along with some greenery.  It was a new twist on the stag and the crystal tree, both of which were pieces that had been given to my Mom.

Pixie Land

 The historic Pixie Land has been around since before I was born, as near as historians can estimate.  Mom started  it as a fun, whimsical decoration when we were very small and the tradition stuck.  Pixie Land is a permanent part of our Christmas decorating, even if we have long since outgrown it. 

Two pixies making a giant snowball.

Below is what I call the Icy Tree.  It is a small tree in the Dinning Room

with predominately snowflake and icicle ornaments on it.  In place of any garland, I use strings of iridescent beads.

A frosty snowflake on the Icy Tree

I enjoy the details in decorating.  It gives guests the opportunity to keep looking and  discovering.

These two pictures show one shelf; just opposite ends of it.  A small shelf with small pieces set on it and a couple of lace doilies to soften and refine the effect.

Here, I used tulle around the angel  on the bottom shelfof the china closet to soften the look.

On the top of the chandelier I have placed a normal wreath facing downward; then decorated it with small blue and icy ornaments with a sheer snowflake ribbon woven in and out.  Long dangling icy ornaments are also hanging from the bottom of the chandelier.